Jul 28, 2025; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (83) catches a pass against linebacker Demario Davis (56) and safety Jordan Howden (31) at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
METAIRIE, La. – The New Orleans Saints did something on Sunday they have not done in years. The team spent its longest training camp practice thus far running strictly unscripted scrimmage drills.
The intense day of work yielded some nice plays from the young quarterbacks but was mostly dominated by the team’s defense. After a slow start, safety Justin Reid challenged his unit to step up and so they did.
Instead of listing details on every single one of the 126 offensive plays that were run. Here are some key stats as well as a summary of each series run by each passer.
Key Stats From the Day:
Quarterback Rotation
Quarterback Spencer Rattler was the first player up in the rotation followed by Tyler Shough and then Jake Haener took the field third.
Shough led the way with eight total series, Rattler saw six and Haener ran with five.
Passing Stats (Running Total)
Shough: 25/40 for a touchdown pass and an interception (67/108, five passing touchdowns and three interceptions)
Rattler: 16/24 with an interception (83/114, eight passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, four interceptions)
Haener: 18/25 (78/112, five passing touchdowns, one interception)
Passing Stats
Shough: 25/40 for a touchdown pass and an interception.
Rattler: 16/24 with an interception
Haener: 18/25
Defense Holds Strong
After Rattler and Shough both led scoring drives to start the day–a field goal and touchdown respectively–the defense came to life reeling in a pair of interceptions, forcing a turnover on downs, putting a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks and batting passes at the line. The second series of the day resulted in a touchdown pass from Shough to tight end Michael Jacobson, but after that, the defense didn’t let the offense find the endzone again. The team’s red zone defense was particularly impressive.
Team Rotations
Head coach Kellen Moore and the coaching staff made sure to rotate offensive and defensive teams as well. The first team offensive first matched up with the first team defense, but as the day went on, we saw a bit more shuffling. The second team offense got its chances to face off against the starting group while first team defenses got their chances against some unfamiliar competition even though the players are all on the same team.
With no joint practices on the way, this was an interesting and effective way to expose players to matchups they don’t typically see in practice without entering an uncontrolled environment with another team.
Rattler’s Drives
First Team Series (First team offense vs. first team defense) – 35-yard FG
Rattler led an 11-play drive starting from the team’s own 35 yard-line, going 5-for-8 in the process. Running backs Alvin Kamara and Cam Akers each received a carry. Rattler completed two big passes. One went to wide receiver Rashid Shaheed for about 20 yards and the other to tight end Jack Stoll over the middle for about 19.
The drive stalled in the red zone, but Rattler kept things alive for a 35-yard field goal by kicker Blake Grupe.
Second Team Series (First team offense vs. first team defense) – 34-yard FG
Rattler again led the team to the red zone on this six-play drive. But after a sack by defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd, Grupe booted in a 34-yard field goal. The biggest play on this drive was a 21-yard gain on a pass from Rattler to wide receiver Chris Olave deep down the field as the wideout approached the sideline.
Third Team Series (First team offense vs. first team defense) – Three and out
Despite Rattler going 3-for-3 here, the Saints offense only moved eight yards after starting from their own 10 yard-line. This was a three and out capped off by a punt by Matthew Hayball who was up in the rotation Sunday. The offense advanced eight yards to the 18.
Fourth Team Series (First team offense vs. first team defense) – Punt on fourth down
The Saints’ offense started this drive off promising from their own 10 yard-line, but quickly crashed back down. After opening with a 10-yard completion to Shaheed, Rattler was sacked on two of the next three plays. Hayball again punted on fourth down from the 17 yard-line.
Fifth Team Series (Second team offense vs. first team defense) – Interception
Starting from the plus-40 yard-line here, Rattler completed his first pass for a quick four yards to wide receiver Dante Pettis. That was followed by an incomplete pass to receiver Mason Tipton, one of his favorite targets of camp so far. On the next play, he targeted tight end Treyton Welch, but safety Julian Blackmon skied up to knock the ball away. He then shouted a very excited exclamation to the crowd in attendance, who loved it.
The drive ended on a fourth-and-six passing attempt to receiver Kevin Austin Jr. that was intercepted by cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Spencer Rattler intercepted by Kool-Aid McKinstry. @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/zzOBmvzMH1
— Doug Mouton (@DMoutonWWL) August 3, 2025
Sixth Team Series (First team offense vs. first team defense) – Turnover on downs
This six-play drive ended with a turnover on downs in a 21-24 end-of-game two-minute scenario. Starting with 1:45 left on the clock, Rattler and the offense started on their own 30 yard-line, two quick completions advanced them to their own 41 yard-line. But then a sack, incompletion, short passing gain to running back Alvin Kamara and another incompletion ended the drive and Rattler’s day on a turnover on downs.
Shough’s Drives
First Team Series (Second team offense vs. second team defense) – Touchdown
The only touchdown drive of the day happened right off the bat for an 8-for-8 Shough who looked to be on fire. His passes were aggressive, meticulous and methodical, moving the ball from the offense’s own 35 yard-line. Shough’s two biggest throws during this series both went to tight end Michael Jacobson. One was a 13-yard play action completion over the middle and the second was the play action roll out throw that ended the drive with a four-yard touchdown.
Running back Kendre Miller had one of the biggest rushes of the day on this drive, sprinting his way to a 13-yard gain.
Tyler Shough up now. Kendre Miller running. @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/rp98P1XVyk
— Doug Mouton (@DMoutonWWL) August 3, 2025
Grupe’s extra point was good. It was after this drive that Reid spoke to the defense and challenged them to play up to their standard.
Second Team Series (Second team offense vs. second team defense) – Three-and-out, 59-yard FG
After Shough’s initial success, the defense rose to the occasion. Shough was incomplete on his first pass from the plus-40 yard-line and was then sacked by safety Ugo Amadi who got immediate pressure off the right edge of the offense. After the loss of seven, SHough picked up six with his legs before Grupe knocked through a convincing 59-yard field goal that could have been good beyond 63.
This was a future confirmation that Grupe has indeed won the kicker battle. Though, he wasn’t done impressing on the day.
Third Team Series (Second team offense vs. second team defense) – Turnover on downs
This one wasn’t a pretty drive at all for the offense. Starting on the plus-40 yard-line, a quick completion from Shough to Welch advanced the ball five yards. But then a run by Devin Neal stuffed for a short gain and a pair of incomplete passes resulted in a turnover on downs.
Fourth Team Series (First team offense vs. second team defense) – 36-yard field goal
Beginning from the opposing 35 yard-line, Shough led the longest drive of the day with a whopping 15-plays. On the second snap, Shough was sacked by edge rusher Chris Rumph II. There was a strange moment wherein Shough scrambled to the right side, and looked to try to throw the ball away, but it barely traveled for any yardage. In game, this would have been an intentional grounding penalty, but for the purposes of the practice, the team just reset the first-and-10 play and ran it back from the 45 yard-line.
The offense got to the red zone, but was there stymied by the defense. Grupe made a 36-yard field goal to finish it up. The biggest play though came from Shaheed again, a 12-yard completion with rookie corner Quincy Riley in coverage.
Fifth Team Series (First team offense vs. second team defense) – Interception
Starting from the plus-40 yard-line, Shough was on point to start the drive completing an 11-yard pass to Olave and a 10-yard pass in traffic to tight end Juwan Johnson. Shough then ran a keeper from seven yards before almost being picked off on a passing attempt that was batted at the line of scrimmage by Rumph. The pass was nearly intercepted by linebacker Jaylan Ford.
On the next play, the same fortunes did not befall the rookie quarterback when his scrambling passing attempt to Shaheed in the end zone ended up being intercepted by linebacker Nephi Sewell. That’s Sewell’s second interception of camp, both against Shough.
Tyler Shough got the offense to the end zone but Nephi Sewell comes up with an interception on a pass intended for Shaheed. #Saints pic.twitter.com/PJGkjIrUDl
— dylan sanders (@DillySanders) August 3, 2025
Sixth Team Series (Second team offense vs. second team defense) – Turnover on downs
In a two-minute drive scenario with 1:45 on the clock, Shough’s second pass was completed for 12 yards to Austin. After that, a one-yard completion and three straight misses in the passing game turned the ball over. The final pass on fourth and nine could have been picked off by cornerback Rico Payton, but Payton wisely chose to just knock the ball down to create what would have resulted in field position on the turnover.
Seventh Team Series (Third team offense vs. Second team defense) – Four-minute offense
This drive was all about running out the clock. Getting the ball with a running five minute clock on the offense’s own 45 yard-line. After the first completion along the left sideline to Donovan Peoples-Jones, the run game came to life as tackling went live. Undrafted rookie running back Marcus Yarns carried the ball three consecutive times followed by Velus Jones Jr. getting a pair of carries. After Jones scampered for an 11-yard gain and the drive’s third first down, the offense ran two more plays just to run out the clock. This was a winning scenario for the offense.
Eight Team Series (Second team offense vs. Third team defense) – Turnover on downs
Beginning on the plus-30 yard-line, the offense was trying to find its way into the endzone to end the day on a high note, but the defense was having none of it. On one play, the defense got lucky, though. After advancing the ball to into the red zone, tight end Seth Green dropped a wide open and beautifully thrown pass to the end zone that would have been a 16-yard touchdown strike. Green thought the leaping defender (safety Jonas Sanker) was going to knock it away.
On the next and final play of practice, Shough tried to gun a pass in to his favorite target of the day, Jacobson, at the goal line. However, the pass was well covered by both safety Elliott Davison and cornerback Dalys Beanum. The two defenders suffered a tough collision with one another, but walked off the field unassisted.
Haener’s Drives
First Team Series (Second team offense vs. first team defense) – 54-yard field goal
Haener opened his action starting at the 35 yard-line as though following a touchback on kickoff. He found Pettis on a deep out for a big gain of 26 yards to start the drive, but some of that yardage was handed back following a holding penalty on the next play.
The ensuing first-and-20 was tough to overcome despite Haener going for a perfect 4/4 with 10 yards to receiver Bub Means, five to Jones and a loss of two to Jones. Grupe was true on a 54-yard goal attempt to cap off the drive.
Second Team Series (Third team offense vs. third team defense) – Drive ended on fourth down
The Saints kind of just called this nine-play drive off after a short gain of three on third-and-14 from the plus-40 yard-line. Haener was a perfect 5-for-5, but another holding penalty took the team from approaching the red zone at the 29 to being backed up to a second-and-13 and the eventual final play of third-and-14 after a loss of one. Solid defensive showings on this drive by Isaiah Stalbird making a big stop at the catch point on the final third down.
Third Team Series (Second team offense vs. second team defense) – Drive ended on fourth down
One of Haener’s biggest plays of the day came on this drive with a 20-plus yard connection with tight end Moliki Matavao with safety Terrell Burgess in coverage. Safety Jordan Howden had a great pass breakup over the middle of the field deep. This drive began backed up at the 10 yard-line, but did advance across midfield before a third-and-10 gain of five stopped the drill.
Fourth Team Series (Third team offense vs. third team defense) – 22-yard FG
This was Haener’s two-minute drive with 1:45 left on the clock at the offense’s own 30 yard-line. Haener went 5-for-9 on this drive, marking the team to an eventual first-and-goal following a defensive pass interference play as the offense was nearing the red zone. The penalty advanced the offense to the 22 yard-line and a completion to Peoples-Jones put the team down at the four yard-line with 15 seconds to go. The Saints opted to kick a field goal at this point. Grupe was good from 22 yards out.
Another big day for Grupe
The Saints’ incumbent kicker has sewn up his job in 2025. He went 7-for-7 on Sunday in a variety of scrimmage scenarios. That includes makes from extra point distance, 22, 34, 35, 36, 54 and 59 yards.
He is now 26/27 through camp.
Matthew Hayball Strong Day:
Hayball is now trying to fend off two other punters and did a good job putting up some effective tape on Sunday. His leg is a lot more powerful than it was last year at times and he gives his punt coverage team a lot of time to get under the ball and make a play at the returner.
4.22s, 4.47s, 4.50s, 4.81s, 4.00s, 4.38s, 3.81s, 4.35s, 4.04s, 4.65s, 4.66s,4.44s, 4.03s
Attendance and Injury Updates:
The only non-PUP player not spotted at Sunday’s practice was safety J.T. Gray.
Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders was back after an excused absence on Tuesday. Tight end Foster Moreau was observing on the sideline.
Tight ends Juwan Johnson and Treyton Welch as well as defensive tackle John Ridgeway III returned or continued to participate in team drills. Center Will Clapp Jr. appeared to leave practice early. Moore said that there will be an update on him as the team returns to camp on Tuesday.
Expect some bumps and bruises to come from this practice. The team’s first live tackling sessions were reserved only for second and third team units to mitigate as much of the residual effects as possible while giving the team a chance to tackle before next Sunday’s preseason game.
Up Next:
The Saints will be off on Monday before returning on Tuesday for the final training camp practice before departing for the University of California, Irvine until August 15.
Revisit Previous Observations
DAY ONE – Rattler perfect in passing
DAY TWO – Defense takes control
DAY THREE- Rattler, offense bounce back
DAY FIVE – Defensive line thrives
DAY SEVEN – Biggest quarterbacks plays of camp
